CARBON NANOTUBES AS MATERIAL SUPPORT FOR Pt-BASED CATALYSTS AND THEIR USE IN DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELLS

J.M. SIEBEN; M.M.E. DUARTE

Applications of Carbon Nanotubes

Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Lugar: New York; Año: 2013; p. 39 - 68

In the last decade carbon nanotubes have turned out to be an important industrialmaterial, being produced hundreds of tons each year. The unique structure of carbonnanotubes makes them an alternative material for catalyst support in fuel cells devicesdue to their unique one-dimensional nanostructure, high surface area, excellent electronicconductivity, and high chemical and mechanical stability. However, raw nanotubes donot have sufficient binding sites for anchoring metals nanoparticles, which frequentlylead to poor dispersion and agglomeration of the nanoparticles. Hence, functionalizationof carbon nanotubes is generally an essential issue to further applications. The presenceof these surface functional groups modifies the chemical and physical properties of thecarbon, improving wettability, adsorption, and cation exchange capacity. Furthermore,these groups act as nucleation centers or anchoring sites, limiting the particle growth andimproving the dispersion of metallic crystallites and the stability of the supportedcatalysts.This chapter is devoted to review the available scientific literature, motivated by theenormous world-wide demand of increasing the production of energy from greenrenewable technologies. In the need of developing new, better-performing catalysts fordirect methanol fuel cells applications, the present survey is focused on synthesis ofcatalytically active metal nanoparticles, such as Pt, and Pt-Me (Me: Ru, Sn, Mo, Os, etc.)decorating the external walls or the interior of the carbon nanotubes and carbonnanotubes/polymer composites.